Aadhaar likely to be must for NEET

Move To Check Impersonation, Says NTA Chief

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:06.10.2019

Bombarded with complaints of impersonation and fraud in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Tests in 2019, the National Testing Agency has sought permission from the Centre to use Aadhaar data for its 2020 exam, its director general Vineet Joshi said. If the Centre agrees, fingerprints and iris scans of students taken at different stages – application, examination, counselling and admission -- will be verified with details stored in the national registry.

Students will be asked to submit their Aadhaar number and their biometric data such as fingerprints and iris scans will be used for verification with data in the unique identity card, he told The Times of India. “At present, we collect students’ fingerprints twice in the examination hall, once before the start of the exam and another at the end. But these are not digital records. They are taken on paper,” he said.

The Tamil Nadu government has now written to the NTA asking for these documents so it can verify the veracity of every medical student. “We will be sharing the data with the state and help them carry out a fair investigation,” he said. The NTA did not expect such malpractices to happen this year. “We were careful about what they should bring into exam hall because we did not want them to copy. We will make rules stringent the next year, but we will also ensure it’s not difficult for the students,” he said.

Nevertheless, the NTA will not advice or suggest to other states to match fingerprints with first year MBBS students in their state because the agency’s job ends with conducting examination and declaring results. “Tamil Nadu busted the scam only because admission agency and colleges checked the records,” he said. MCI board of governors chairman V K Paul told TOI last week that it will wait for the law enforcing agency and investigating agency to carry out complete investigation.

In the last one month, the Tamil Nadu police have arrested at least four students who used different methods to cheat the system to get into medical colleges. Inquiries by the Directorate of Medical Education and police revealed that while K V Udit Surya admitted to Theni Government Medical College never took NEET, Mohammed Irfan from Dharmapuri Government Medical College had changed his scores from 207 to

407. Two students, Praveen S and Raghul Davis, wrote the NEET from Tamil Nadu while their imposters took the test in their name from centres in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. As their imposters scored better than them, they used their imposters score cards to join deemed universities – SRM Medical College and Hospital and Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital.

While admission to government colleges were done by the state selection committee attached to the Directorate of Medical Education in Tamil Nadu, the admission to the deemed universities was through centralised online counselling by the medical counselling committee, Directorate General of Health Services. As per Supreme Court directions, all selection committees use merit in NEET criteria for admissions. Neither the NTA nor the selection committees was aware of the scam until a whistleblower in Tamil Nadu blew the lid off by sending details of one first-year medical student to the Theni Government Medical College.

Inquiries conducted by the CBCID police with students and parents led to arrest of one agent. The police are still tracking a couple of more agents in cities including Bangalore. “This seems to be a well-oiled network functioningfor some time now across the country. Agents identify imposters who can pose as students and write NEET. Parents have paid up to ₹20 lakh for this,” said a senior investigating officer.

If the Centre agrees, fingerprints and iris scans of students taken at different stages will be verified with details stored in the national registry

VINEET JOSHI

NTA director general

MTC bus driver, 36, suffers heart attack behind wheels, dies

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:06.10.2019

An MTC bus driver died after he suffered a heart attack while behind the wheels in Velachery on Saturday afternoon. As the driver lost control of the vehicle, it rammed about eight cars at a traffic signal though none was hurt in the accident.

The deceased was identified as Rajeshkanna, 36, a resident of Theni, and the incident happened when the bus (route 576S) was on its way to Koyambedu from Siruseri.

While there were about 15 commuters in the bus, Rajeshkanna suddenly suffered chest pain on the 100ft road in Velachery. Though he continued to drive the vehicle, Rajeshkanna soon lost consciousness and collapsed on the steering wheel.

The bus ran amok and rammed cars waiting at the traffic signal.

While pedestrians and motorists ran for their life, a man identified as Vijay, 25, a resident of Maduravoyal, boarded the bus and brought it to a halt.

The passengers and conductor Venkatesan, 52, managed to escape with minor injuries. Rajeshkanna was rushed to a nearby private hospital, but he was declared brought dead.

On information, the Guindy traffic investigation wing police and law and order personnel rushed to the spot and removed the bus and the damaged cars from the road to normalise traffic. “Five cars were damaged, while the other cars suffered scratches,” said a traffic policeman. A case has been registered.

As the driver lost control of the bus, it rammed eight cars at a Velachery traffic signal, though none was hurt in the accident

Verbal and physical assault on factory executive: Dismissal of worker upheld

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:06.10.2019

A labour union leader who used foul language to a company executive and also assaulted him during work hours does not deserve any leniency, and his dismissal from service is a fair and proportionate punishment, the Madras high court has ruled.

Justice S M Subramaniam, overturning a Puducherry labour court order to reinstate a dismissed employee, said: “This court is able to find that filthy language used by workman S Raja is intolerable and he has showed a sort of heroism by using such filthy language inside the premises against superior officials. Usage of such languages inside the work place is certainly impermissible and such an indiscipline ended with an assault against the officer, which can never be tolerated.”

Raja, an employee of Hindustan Unilever Ltd in Puducherry and general secretary of the labour union, barged into a company meeting on July 29, 2009, disrupted the proceedings, abused officials in filthy language and also grabbed an executive by his shirt collar and created an atmosphere of panic. First he was suspended from service, and then dismissed after domestic inquiry.

However, the Puducherry labour court directed his reinstatement with back wages, and imposed one increment cut alone as punishment. Challenging the award, Hindustan Unilever filed the present writ petition.

Justice Subramaniam, underlining the importance of organisational discipline, said: “Discipline, decorum, honesty and integrity are the vital characters to be maintained in industrial/public institutions, factories and trade activities, so as to take our Nation forward on a par with global standards. Compromising discipline will lead to destruction of industrial/public institutions. An indisciplined industry or organization can never see growth. Most of the industries/public institutions collapsed on account of indiscipline, maladministration or corruption.”

The labour court categorically found that the fairness of the domestic enquiry was just and proper. And yet came to a conclusion that there was no scope for recording further evidence regarding the guilt of the workman, the judge pointed out.

Ticking off the labour court, Justice Subramaniam said exercise of discretionary power under Section 11-A of the Industrial Disputes Act for the purpose of extending misplaced sympathy or leniency in respect of proved grave misconduct, can never be upheld by high courts.

Earlier, the company argued that the abused and assaulted executive also has a family and is a breadwinner and has come to the factory to earn his livelihood and not to be abused or beaten. Punishments are imposed as a penalty upon a wrong-doer and to enforce discipline, so that others can understand that the discipline is of paramount importance inside factory premises, it said. Raja’s counsel said inquiry was not conducted in a free and fair manner. An improper inquiry was conducted and based on the improper inquiry, the worker was dismissed from service, he said.

Raja, an employee of Hindustan Unilever Ltd in Puducherry barged into a company meeting in 2009, abused officials in filthy language and grabbed an executive by his shirt collar

Four men rob two women pvt airline staff, held

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:06.10.2019

Two women staff of a private airline were robbed by a four-member gang when they were returning home on their scooter at Thirumudivakkam near Pallavaram early on Saturday. The gang members snatched their scooter, cash and mobile phones and escaped.

The women, employed as ground staff at Chennai airport, had gone to watch a new movie at a mall in Pallavaram. When they were nearing their residence, four men intercepted them, threatened and snatched their bags which had cash and cellphones. They then left the two women in the middle of the road in pitch darkness and fled with their vehicle.

The two women later walked to their rented apartment and informed their friends about the incident. Later, they visited the Sankar Nagar police station and lodged a complaint.

Based on their complaint, police examined CCTV camera footage from the neighbourhood. Sankar Nagar crime wing police inspector Pasupathi and law and order police inspector Mubarak formed two teams and arrested the accused after tracing them with the help of the CCTV camera footage.

The accused were identified as Syan, 23, Prem Kumar, 22, Avinash, 23, and Senthil Kumar, 28, all from Pallavaram. They worked as delivery boys for a mobile food aggregator and were often spotted near a departmental store in Pallavaram. They were remanded in judicial custody and the stolen scooter was seized from them.

The women, employed as ground staff at Chennai airport, had gone to watch a new movie at a mall in Pallavaram. When they were nearing their residence while returning, four men intercepted them and snatched their valuables

Train info

Nellai, Podhigai expresses to run from Tambaram on Oct 10–Dec 7
Move To Help Facilitate Yard Work At Egmore
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:06.10.2019

Passengers will have to board Nellai Express to Tirunelveli and Podhigai Express to Sengottai at Tambaram instead of from Chennai Egmore as the trains will depart from the suburban station from October 10 to December 7. Railways has also changed the departure station of Egmore-Gaya weekly express from Egmore to MGR Central till December 1. The change is to facilitate yard work at Egmore and also because of a line block for engineering work on the Egmore-Villupuram-Gudur line.

The Tirunelveli-bound Nellai Express will start at 8.20pm at Tambaram and Sengottai-bound Podhigai Express at 9.30pm.

The change may cause inconvenience to passengers who used to board the trains from Egmore as they may have to reach Tambaram on crowded suburban trains during the evening peak hour. In the return direction, Nellai Express and Podhigai Express will be terminated at Tambaram from October 9 to December 7.

The Villupuram-Tambaram passenger will be operated only till Chengalpet from October 10 to December 9.

Railways will also operate a passenger special from Chengalpet to Tambaram, departing from Chengalpet at 9.15am from October 10 to December 8, said a press release. This would help travellers who reach the southern suburb by passenger trains.

K Baskar of the divisional rail uers consultative committee said, “This will be an inconvenience for people who board the train from the city. It may not be easy to travel by suburban trains with baggage. However, the departure cannot be shifted to Central because Tambaram passengers may have to come all the way to Central to board.”

The changes in departure station of the two trains have taken passengers by surprise. People circulated information regarding the change on social media, criticising the move.

Railways has also changed the departure station of Egmore-Gaya weekly express from Egmore to MGR Central till December 1

MCI

MCI BOG preparing guidelines for MBBS, PG Medical fee regulation: Health Ministry Government
October 5, 2019

New Delhi: The issue of fee regulation for MBBS and PG medical courses will see major developments in times to come as the government has requested the Medical Council of India Board of Governors (MCI BOG) to prepare draft guidelines for fee regulation.

The same will form the base document, once the National Medical Commission (NMC) replaces the MCI

The Board of Governors (MCI) has been requested to prepare draft guidelines for fee regulation, so that they can be used as a base document by NMC, confirmed Additional Secretary in the Health Ministry Arun Singhal, while speaking to media persons yesterday.

The confirmation came along with a series of announcements made by the Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan along with the health ministry officials on the process of complete revamp of the medical education sector with the coming of NMC.

Read Also: MBBS admission to AIIMS, JIPMER via NEET only: Dr Harsh Vardhan

The steadily rising fees for medical courses, both MBBS and PG has indeed been a matter of concern in the field of Medical Education.

While earlier capitation fee was an issue, with the advent of NEET, the official MBBS fee at most private medical colleges skyrocketed, with the entire course fee even crossing Rs 1 crore in many cases. This is bound to create some financially burdened doctors, the government worried

Both the Roy Choudhury Committee and the Parliamentary Standing Committee expressed concerns regarding the high cost of medical education for students and gave recommendations in favour of capping the fees.

However, given the fact that IMC Act, 1956 has no provision for the regulation of fees the erstwhile MCI refused to interfere with the MBBS fee structures at private medical colleges citing lack of mandate, which further became a bone of contention between the medical council and the government

With the takeover of the Medical Council of India by the Board of Governors, the government directed the BOG to come up with solutions, to tackle this growing problem. The solutions so prepared will now be documented in the form of guidelines and will form the basis on which the future NMC will work, officials informed.

The National Medical Commission will regulate fees and all other charges for 50 per cent seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities.

Court News

NO MCI Permission: Supreme Court dismisses Mulayam Singh Yadav Medical College SLP

Court Decision Medical Education, News, state news 

October 5, 2019

New Delhi: The Supreme Court, in its recent verdict, has dismissed the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the Mulayam Singh Yadav Medical College against the Medical Council of India’s (MCI) denial to the institute for taking in a fresh batch of 150 MBBS students for the academic year 2019-20.

The refusal of permission by the MCI came in view of the certain deficiencies prevailing at the institute. Earlier, the medical college had approached the Delhi High Court bench which had also dismissed its petition holding that the MCI’s decision cannot be faulted with.

The medical college, set by KSD Charitable trust in Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), had sought quashing of the May 18 order of the MCI by which the request of the medical college for grant of renewal of permission to admit the second batch of 150 students in the MBBS course for the academic year 2019-20 was disapproved.

Read Also: MCI decision denying MBBS permission to Mulayam Singh Yadav Medical College cannot be faulted: Delhi HC

The medical institute also sought that the authorities be directed to grant first renewal of permission to it for admitting students.

During an inspection, an MCI team had pointed out various deficiencies including that no faculty or residents have undergone basic course workshop in Medical Education Technology, UG capacity in hostel was 148 as against 180, bed occupancy was 50.33 per cent on day of assessment, no major and minor surgery done on the day of assessment, no CMO available in casualty and cell separation facility was not available in blood bank.

After the first assessment, the authorities sought point-wise compliance from the medical college and compliance verification assessment of the institution was again carried out in which certain deficiencies were found.

The MCI decided not to renew the permission for admission to the medical college and asked it not to admit any student for the academic year 2019-20, though it was free to apply afresh for the next academic year strictly as per the provisions of the Indian Medical Council Act.

During the Delhi HC hearing, the counsel appearing for MCI said that it was clear that the medical college had failed to fulfil the minimum infrastructure, teaching faculty, resident, clinical material and other physical facilities.

They had said the deficiencies pointed out in the inspection reports of December 11-12, 2018 and April 6, 2019 were so grave in nature that the same could not be brushed aside in the larger public interest and also in the interest of residents and students community and that the MCI could not be compelled for the granting renewal permission for admissions.

The college claimed that the MCI’s order was perverse and contrary to the IMC Act and was not a reasoned order. It claimed that it was in full compliance of the provisions and that certain non-existing deficiencies have been artificially generated/ created by the assessment team with an ulterior motive and sole purpose of denying the grant of renewal permission to the college.

The Delhi high court observed that it was apparent that the deficiencies that have been pointed out in the medical college faculty and residents, which were 7.4 per cent and 8.5 per cent respectively, were more than maximum permissible limit of five per cent.

Further, taking into account the verdict of the Supreme Court in relation to the maintainability of standards of medical education, the HC bench had dismissed the petition of the medical college.

Aggrieved by the HC decision, the medical college moved the apex court which has now rejected the appeal of the institute. The SC bench held:

We find no ground to interfere with the impugned order passed by the High Court. The Special Leave Petition is, accordingly, dismissed.

Other universities

Mass cheating alleged in final year MBBS exam: Results of 5 medical colleges held

Medical Education, News, state news

October 4, 2019

KUHS has initiated the necessary procedure to disqualify the 5 MBBS students. The governing council is all set to take a final decision on the matter after a meeting to be held soon.

Thiruvananthapuram: Suspecting mass cheating by 5 MBBS students in the final year examination, Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) has blocked the exam results of five medical colleges in the state.

As per a recent media account, the governing council is likely to take stringent action to curb the practice of unfair means and is taking the necessary procedure to disqualify the suspected MBBS students.

This came following a complaint moved by few medicos against 5 MBBS students associated with Ernakulam Government Medical Colleges; SUT Medical College; Azeezia Medical College, Kollam; MES Medical College, Perinthalmanna and Government T D Medical College, Alappuzha for allegedly cheating in the examination.

Taking cognizance of the subject, the KUHS called for the Deans’ of the medical colleges and the Chief Exam superintendent to its headquarter for an explanation regarding the matter.

Also Read: IPC 420 Case against Secretary Glocal Medical College on 24 MBBS Medicos Complaint

Mathrubhumi reports that the medical colleges initially denied the allegations, however, later, they identified the offenders and handed over the details to the university. The details of SUT and MES medical colleges were not submitted, it added.

As per the norms, the visuals were sent to the university in a CD with the exam answer sheets for verification. However, the visuals submitted was not clear enough to identify the suspected MBBS students. Further, KUHS stated that the medical college authorities have not sent proper visuals in the CDs as the cameras might not be placed properly to capture the footage.

KUHS has initiated the necessary procedure to disqualify the 5 MBBS students. The governing council is all set to take a final decision on the matter after a meeting to be held soon.

More medicos are suspected to be involved in the scam, reports Mathrubhumi.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that 12 second and third-year MBBS students of the Muzaffarnagar medical college, Begrajpur, were caught using electronic devices by the flying squad team of the Meerut university at the Jain Kanya PG College, where 142 students had appeared for their semester examination.

எழும்பூர் ரயில்கள் தாம்பரத்துடன் நிறுத்தம்

Added : அக் 05, 2019 00:05

ஸ்ரீவில்லிபுத்துார் : திருநெல்வேலி மற்றும் செங்கோட்டையிலிருந்து சென்னை எழும்பூர் வரை இயக்கப்படும் பொதிகை, நெல்லை எக்ஸ்பிரஸ் ரயில்கள் அக்., 10 முதல் டிச.7 வரை தாம்பரத்துடன் நிறுத்தப்படுகிறது.

சென்னை எழும்பூர் ரயில் நிலையத்தில் 4 வது நடைமேடையில் பராமரிப்பு பணிகள் நடப்பதால் இந்த இரு ரயில்களும் தாம்பரத்துடன் நிறுத்தப்படும். செங்கோட்டை மற்றும் திருநெல்வேலியிலிருந்து புறப்படும் நேரத்தில் மாற்றமில்லை. அட்டவணைப்படி தாம்பரத்தில் எந்த நேரம் புறப்படுமோ அதே நேரத்தில் அங்கிருந்து புறப்படும் என தெற்கு ரயில்வே அறிவித்துள்ளது.

பாசிட்டிவ் எனர்ஜி' தரும் நவராத்திரி கொலு

Updated : அக் 05, 2019 07:52 | Added : அக் 04, 2019 23:58



'போனவாட்டி உங்க வீட்டு கொலு நல்லா இருந்திச்சு... இந்த வருஷம் என்ன கான்செப்ட் வைக்கப் போறீங்க?''நீங்க மட்டும் என்னவாம்...புதுசா நீங்க வச்சிருந்த அந்த மரப்பாச்சி பொம்மைங்க செமயா இருந்திச்சு'கோவிலில் நான்கைந்து பெண்கள் சந்தித்துக் கொண்டால், இப்படித்தான் பரஸ்பரம் விசாரித்துக் கொள்கின்றனர்.புரட்டாசி மாதம் நவராத்திரி விழாவில், கொலு வைத்தல் என்பது பாரம்பரிய பக்தி நிகழ்ச்சியாகும்.

துர்காதேவி, மகாலட்சுமி, சரஸ்வதி ஆகிய மூவரையும், மேடையில் வைத்து அலங்கரித்து வழிபடுவதுடன், நல்லோரின் நட்பை ஏற்று போற்றுதலும், பக்தியை பெருகச் செய்வதும், கொலுவின் முக்கிய நோக்கமாக இருக்கிறது.தேவியரின் மந்திரங்களை தினமும் சொல்லி பூஜை செய்வதுடன், விரதமிருந்து வழிபடுவதால் கன்னிப் பெண்களுக்கு திருமணம் கைகூடுவது, குடும்பத்தில் நேர்மறை எண்ணங்கள் அதிகரித்து, அன்பும் ஒற்றுமையும் ஓங்குவது, இல்லத்தில் செல்வம் சேருவது, பருவநிலை மாறுதல்களால் அதிகரிக்கும் கொசுக்களை வீட்டுக்குள் வரவிடாமல் செய்து, நோய்களின் தாக்குதல்களில் இருந்து விடுபடுவது... என எண்ணற்ற நன்மைகள் கொலுவின் பிரதிபலிப்பாக உள்ளன.

சிலர் ஒவ்வொரு ஆண்டும் ஏதாவது ஒரு புதிய 'கான்செப்டை', அடிப்படையாக வைத்து கொலு வைக்கின்றனர். கோவையில் இந்தாண்டு கொலு அமைத்துள்ள பலரது வீடுகளில், நடுநாயகமாக படுத்திருக்கிறார், அத்திவரதர்.கடந்த 45 ஆண்டுகளாக கொலு வைத்து வரும், சிவானந்தா காலனியை சேர்ந்த ரமா வெங்கட், ''மகாளய அமாவாசையில் கலசம் வைத்து ஆரம்பிக்கும் கொலுவானது, விஜயதசமியன்று நிறைவடைகிறது.

10 நாட்கள் நடக்கும் கொலு நிகழ்ச்சியில், சிவப்பு சந்தன மரத்தால் உருவாக்கப்பட்ட மரப்பாச்சி பொம்மை முக்கியம். தினமும் காலை பூஜைகள் செய்வது, தேவியருக்கு உகந்த துதிகள் படிப்பது என, பல்வேறு நிகழ்ச்சிகள் இடம்பெறுகின்றன.அம்பாள், மகிசாசுரனை அழித்த விஜயதசமியன்று வடை, பாயசம் வைத்து கொலு நிறைவடைகிறது. கொலுவின் போது, வீடு முழுவதும் 'பாசிட்டிவ் எனர்ஜி' இருக்கும். அனைவரிடமும் சந்தோஷம், குறைகளை மறப்பது, ஆன்மிக சிந்தனை மலர்வது என ஏராளமான நன்மைகள் ஏற்படுகின்றன,'' என்கிறார்.
கன்னிப் பெண்களுக்கு திருமணம் கைகூடுவது, குடும்பத்தில் நேர்மறை எண்ணங்கள் அதிகரித்து, அன்பும் ஒற்றுமையும் ஓங்குவது, இல்லத்தில் செல்வம் சேருவது, பருவநிலை மாறுதல்களால் அதிகரிக்கும் கொசுக்களை வீட்டுக்குளு் வரவிடாமல் செய்து, நோய்களின் தாக்குதல்களில் இருந்து விடுபடுவது... என எண்ணற்ற நன்மைகள் கொலுவின் பிரதிபலிப்பாக உள்ளன.

இனி அவ்ளோ தான்! அடுத்த ஆண்டுமுதல் ஜிப்மர், எய்ம்ஸ்க்கும் நீட் தேர்வு

Updated : அக் 05, 2019 00:59 | Added : அக் 04, 2019 23:58

புதுடில்லி : 'அடுத்தாண்டு முதல் 'எய்ம்ஸ், ஜிப்மர்' மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளிலும் 'நீட்' நுழைவுத் தேர்வின் மூலமே மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடத்தப்படும்' என மத்திய அரசு அறிவித்து உள்ளது.

நாடு முழுவதும் உள்ள அரசு மற்றும் தனியார் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளில் 'நீட்' எனப்படும் தேசிய அளவிலான நுழைவுத் தேர்வின் அடிப்படையில் மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடத்தப்படுகிறது. மத்திய சுகாதார அமைச்சகத்தின் கட்டுப்பாட்டில் செயல்படும் 'எய்ம்ஸ்' எனப்படும் அகில இந்திய மருத்துவ அறிவியல் கழகத்துக்கு சொந்தமான மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளில் மாணவர் சேர்க்கைக்கு தனியாக நுழைவுத் தேர்வு நடத்தப்படுகிறது.

புதுச்சேரியில் செயல்படும் ஜிப்மர் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிக்கும் மத்திய சுகாதார அமைச்சகத்தால் தனியாக நுழைவுத் தேர்வு நடத்தி அதன் அடிப்படையில் மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடக்கிறது. எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளில் 1500 இடங்களும்; ஜிப்மரில் 200 இடங்களும் உள்ளன. இந்த மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளுக்கு தனியாக நுழைவுத் தேர்வை நடத்துவது அரசுக்கு கூடுதல் செலவை ஏற்படுத்துவதாகவும் நடைமுறை சிக்கல்கள் இருப்பதாகவும் கூறப்பட்டது.

மற்ற மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளைப் போல் எய்ம்ஸ் மற்றும் ஜிப்மர் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளுக்கும் நீட் தேர்வு மூலம் மாணவர் சேர்க்கையை நடத்துவது குறித்து மத்திய சுகாதார அமைச்சகம் ஆலோசித்து வந்தது. இந்நிலையில் மத்திய சுகாதார அமைச்சரும் பா.ஜ. மூத்த தலைவருமான ஹர்ஷ்வர்தன் டில்லியில் நேற்று கூறியதாவது: அடுத்தாண்டு முதல் எய்ம்ஸ், ஜிப்மர் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரி களுக்கும் நீட் தேர்வு மூலமாகவே மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடத்தப்படும்.

இந்த கல்லுாரிகளுக்கான மாணவர் சேர்க்கை கவுன்சிலிங்கும் பொதுவானதாகவே இருக்கும். தேசிய மருத்துவ ஆணைய சட்டத்தின்படி இந்த முடிவு எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனால் நாடு முழுவதும் உள்ள மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளுக்கான மாணவர் சேர்க்கை ஒரே தரத்தில் அமைவதற்கான வாய்ப்பு ஏற்படும். மேலும் தேசிய மருத்துவ ஆணைய சட்டத்தின்படி 'நேஷனல் எக்ஸிட் டெஸ்ட்' எனப்படும் 'நெக்ஸ்ட்' தேர்வை எழுதி அதில் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றவர்கள் மட்டுமே மருத்துவராக பணியாற்றுவதற்கான உரிமம் பெற முடியும்;

முதுநிலை மருத்துவப் படிப்பில் சேர்க்கைக்கு அனுமதி பெற முடியும். வெளிநாட்டில் மருத்துவம் படித்த இந்திய மாணவர்களும் நெக்ஸ்ட் தேர்வை எழுத வேண்டும். நெக்ஸ்ட் தேர்வுக்கான வழிமுறைகளை தேசிய மருத்துவ ஆணையம் இறுதி செய்யும். இந்த நடைமுறையால் மாணவர்கள் சேர்க்கைக்காக பல்வேறு மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளை நாடுவதும் பல்வேறு கவுன்சிலில் நடைமுறைகளை பின்பற்றுவதும் ஒழிக்கப்படும்.

உடல் ரீதியான அலைச்சல் மற்றும் நிதி சார்ந்த பிரச்னைகளில் இருந்து மாணவர்களும் அவர்களது பெற்றோரும் விடுபடுவதற்கு இது பெரிதும் உதவும். மருத்துவ மேற்படிப்பை படிப்பதற்கான 'ரேங்க்'கை பெறுவதற்காக எத்தனை முறை வேண்டுமானாலும் நெக்ஸ்ட் தேர்வை எழுதலாம். தேசிய மருத்துவ ஆணையத்துக்கான உறுப்பினர்கள் அக்., 14ல் குலுக்கல் மூலம் தேர்வு செய்யப்படுவர். இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

Madras HC directs Tamil Nadu, Central governmentt to file report in NEET impersonation

Madras High Court today stated that the impersonation in NEET could not have been confined only in Tamil Nadu.

Published: 04th October 2019 07:24 PM

Madras HC (File | EPS)

By ANI

CHENNAI: Madras High Court on Friday asked the Tamil Nadu Health Department and Central government to file a detailed report in National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) impersonation matter by October 15.

Madras High Court today stated that the impersonation in NEET could not have been confined only in Tamil Nadu. Around 14 lakh students wrote the NEET exam all over India but only five students and their parents have been suspected to have been involved in the impersonation natter.

The court suspects all India ramifications and suo motu includes the Ministry of Human Resource Development and Union Health Ministry as parties to a case.

Hence, the court has directed the Tamil Nadu Health Department and Central government to file a detailed report on NEET impersonation matter by October 15.

Court's direction comes days after three medical students were arrested on September 28, along with their kin by the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) officials in the case pertaining to alleged impersonation in NEET examination.

Earlier on September 26, Tamil Nadu police had arrested a father-son duo in alleged connection in the case.

Hospitals which fail to register by Nov 30 will be closed: Health Dept

From June 1, 2018 till date, 32,678 clinical establishments have applied for licence.

Published: 05th October 2019 04:39 AM |

By Sinduja Jane

Express News Service

CHENNAI: All clinical establishments, including Indian Medicine and Homeopathy clinics, hospitals and laboratories, both private and government, which fail to register under Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishment Act, 2018, by November 30, will be closed down, Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services officials said.

From June 1, 2018 till date, 32,678 clinical establishments have applied for licence. Of them, licence was given to 2,483 hospitals and clinics. Verification was completed for over 7,000 establishments. In Chennai licence was issued to about 60 hospitals.

The directorate has extended the deadline for applying for licence from May 31 to November 30. “After this, we received around 2,700 applications. Hospitals and clinics which fail to apply or whose applications are rejected will be closed down after November 30,” an official source said.

Tiruchy jewellery heist: Cop honoured for hot pursuit

Sub-inspector bravely chased and caught an accused in Tiruchy store heist case

Published: 05th October 2019 04:44 AM 

Inspector General of Police V Varadharaju handing over certificate of appreciation to SI T Bharatha Nehru, who caught one of the accused in the Tiruchy jewellery heist | Express

By Express News Service

TIRUVARUR: The police sub-inspector who bravely chased and caught one of the accused in the Tiruchy jewellery store heist case has been receiving accolades from various quarters, including on social media. It was another night of routine vehicle checks for T Bharatha Nehru (31), an M.P Ed graduate of the 2016 batch and a sub-inspector attached to Tiruvarur Town police station.

When he, along with head constable M Ravi were checking vehicles at Vilamal on the Thanjavur-Tiruvarur road, a bike with two persons approached them. As Nehru tried to stop the two-wheeler, the rider, wearing a helmet, turned the bike around and rode off in another direction. The sub-inspector identified the rider as Manikandan of Madappuram who figures on the list of suspects in the jewellery store robbery.

He started chasing the suspect on a bike along with the head constable. As Manikandan rode his bike on the narrow banks of a river with bushes on either side, it was a hard chase for Nehru. After giving chase for 1.5 km, he successfully overtook Manikandan and forced him to stop. Manikandan was then overpowered by Nehru.

Meanwhile, Suresh, who was riding pillion, threw away a bag containing jewels and fled. After handing him over to the head constable, Manikandan then chased Suresh on foot, As Suresh managed to slip through bushes, Nehru could not catch him. Later, he brought Manikandan to Tiruvarur Town police station along with the bag full of jewels which happened to be the part of the booty from the robbery in Tiruchy. V Varadharaju, Inspector General of Police, Central Zone, Tiruchy felicitated the team of officers

History-sheeter arrested for cheating doctor

A history-sheeter who posed as a software engineer, has been arrested after he allegedly promised to buy a mobile phone from a man and later escaped with the instrument without paying.

Published: 04th October 2019 06:24 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A history-sheeter who posed as a software engineer, has been arrested after he allegedly promised to buy a mobile phone from a man and later escaped with the instrument without paying.

Police said the victim Vigneshwaran, a doctor, recently advertised on a web-portal of selling his mobile phone for `90,000.

“A few days ago, he received a call from Hariprasad, who introduced himself as a software engineer and asked Vigneshwaran to come to a restaurant at Mogappair. Meanwhile, Hariprasad met another woman online and introduced himself as a PhD student and wanted her help to complete his research work and asked her also to come to the same restaurant,” said a police officer.

Later, the suspect took the mobile phone and said he would step outside to make a call to ensure it was working, the officer said. But, he did not return even after half an hour.Vigneshwaran filed a complaint with Ambattur police. Based on cctv footage, police arrested Hariprasad and found he had previous criminal cases.

Residents worried as Madambakkam panchayat digs more wells

Madras High Court in August gave permission for the project based on a submission by Public Works Department that the area has plenty of groundwater.

Published: 05th October 2019 06:10 AM 

An open well dug up on the Madambakkam lake bed | Express

By Madhumitha Viswanath

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Many localities have permanently lost their groundwater source due to excessive extraction of water to meet the city’s growing needs. Residents of Madambakkam, a residential area in south Chennai, are worried whether their case too will end up the same. Madambakkam panchayat is now digging two more open wells on what locals claim is the bed of Madambakkam lake. This is done to supply water to Madambakkam and nearby Chitlapakkam panchayats.

Madras High Court in August gave permission for the project based on a submission by Public Works Department that the area has plenty of groundwater. However, residents say their borewells are increasingly going dry and two months the panchayat too has to dug as many as 50 borewells in the locality to meet the needs. Residents say the trend started when three open wells were dug on the bed of Madambakkam lake about a year ago and water was extracted for supply to neighbouring areas. They claimed that PWD officials have not conducted a single survey to determine groundwater levels.

Also, while documents with PWD said that under the joint drinking water scheme two lakh litres of water extracted from the wells will be given to Madambakam, the final court order said 20 lakh litres will be provided. But documents of Chitlapakkam Panchayat said four lakh litres will be provided to Madambakkam. “This is just one of the many discrepancies. Many of our borewells have gone dry,” said A Krishnan, a resident.

An official from Chitlapakkam Panchayat said due to recent rain, water levels have been replenished. 

“We are sending the fixed quantity of water to both localities. One or two houses may have low supply from their borewells. But, there is a good quantity of water in these three wells,” the official said.

IRCTC to operate two special trains in October

05/10/2019, STAFF REPORTER,COIMBATORE

The South Zone of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will operate two trains under the Bharat Darshan Tourist Train initiative in October, officials said here on Thursday. In a press release, L. Subramani, Manager of IRCTC South Zone, said that Pancha Dwarka Yatra train would cover Nath Dwara, Kankroli Dwaraka, Dakor Dwaraka, Dwaraka and Bet Dwaraka from October 12 to October 21 and Diwali Ganga Snan train will cover Puri, Konark, Gaya, Varanasi and Allahabad from October 23 to October 31.

Both these trains would start in Madurai and travel via Dindigul, Karur, Erode, Salem, Jolarpettai, Katpadi, Chennai Central, Nellore and Vijayawada. The cost for the Pancha Dwarka Yatra would be ₹ 9,450 for a person and the Diwali Ganga Snan ₹ 8,505 for a person, the release said.

Features of the tour would be sleeper class travel, accommodation in non-AC halls and dharmashalas, non-AC road transfers, south Indian vegetarian food and presence of tour escorts and security for each coach in the train. The Bharat Darshan Tourist Trains crossed more than 340 operations since its inception in 2005, Mr. Subramani said.

Brahmaputra Theerthadanam tour

IRCTC also announced a special AC train for the Brahmaputra Theerthadanam tour from November 13. The tour would cover Kolkata, Guwahati, River Brahmaputra, Shillong and Cheerapunji in 12 days.

The package cost would be ₹ 45,820 for third AC, ₹ 49,540 for second AC and ₹ 57,700 for first AC, the release said. Interested may contact IRCTC at 9003140665 and 9003140680 for details.

President commutes 20 death sentences in nine years

Separately, MHA decided to commute the sentence of Rajoana, convicted in the then Punjab CM Beant Singh’s killing

05/10/2019, VIJAITA SINGH,NEW DELHI

The President commuted death sentences to life imprisonment in at least 20 cases over the past nine years, based on the recommendations received from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

These commutations were based on the President’s exercise of powers under Article 72 of the Constitution after the convicts filed mercy petitions.

Separately, last week the MHA took a decision to commute the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted over the assassination of then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, as a “humanitarian gesture” ahead of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Sikh founder Guru Nanak. It also decided to release eight other prisoners convicted for life for their involvement in Sikh militancy as a ‘token of goodwill’.

Beant Singh and at least 16 others were killed in an explosion outside the Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh in 1995. Rajoana was sentenced to death in 2007 by a special court and he refused to file a mercy petition.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body of the Sikhs, filed a petition on his behalf in 2014.

BJP ally and NDA member, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), had been pressing the Centre to commute Rajoana’s death sentence.

“Rajoana never engaged a lawyer when the case was being heard in the court,” said Manjinder Singh Sirsa, an SAD leader who had recently met Home Minister Amit Shah regarding Rajoana’s case — the only Sikh prisoner on death row in a militancy related case. “To highlight the atrocities against the Sikhs, he refused legal assistance. After he was sentenced to death, the SGPC decided to file a mercy petition on his behalf,” added the SAD leader.

One-off gesture

The ministry’s decision to release the eight Sikh prisoners convicted under the repealed Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) is seen as a one-off gesture as it is not in consonance with the guidelines regarding the 2018 “Cabinet decision to grant special remission to prisoners on the occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.”

As per the guidelines: “special remission will not be given to prisoners who have been convicted for an offence for which the sentence is sentence of death or where death sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment; cases of convicts involved in serious and heinous crimes like dowry death, rape, human trafficking and convicted under POTA, UAPA, TADA, FICN, POCSO Act, money laundering, FEMA, NDPS, Prevention of Corruption Act, etc.”

A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “This was in response to the long pending demands on release of Sikh prisoners raised by various sections of the Sikh community.”

Under the special remission, 2,035 prisoners were released in three phases — October 2, 2018, April 6 and October 2 this year. In the third phase, 611 prisoners were released, the ministry said.

Former President Pranab Mukherjee had commuted the death sentence in at least four cases and rejected mercy petitions in 14 cases including that of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks convict Ajmal Kasab and the 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon. President Ram Nath Kovind has rejected one mercy petition in his current tenure. The Central Information Commission (CIC) in a 2018 order had said that “grant of remission is an exercise of a statutory power under CrPC.”

The CIC’s order said: “It acknowledges the power of the Executive to grant remission to convicted persons after due consideration by the appropriate Government.”

Ahead of Dussehra, plastic Ravana emerges as the new villain

‘The intent is to personify the king in a plastic form as a demon, bad for the society and environment’

05/10/2019, JACOB KOSHY,NEW DELHI

Ahead of Dussehra, celebrants have found a new villain. The traditional practice has been to burn a massive effigy of Ravana but this year, companies — looking to capitalise on the buzz around curtailing the use of plastic — are making plastic effigies of the ‘demon-king’. The traditional act of burning it in public has been substituted by a token destruction that involves physical dismantling, recycling or — in some cases — a controlled incineration.

The Cement Manufacturers Association, for instance, is collaborating with the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to create 25-feet installations of Ravana(s) in five cities, including Delhi.

Each effigy, made of about 300 kilos of plastic waste, will be mechanically destroyed on October 8, in a cement plant, in the presence of industry and government officials, a spokesperson for the association told The Hindu. “The remnants would then would be incinerated in a closed kiln under high temperature without leaving any residue,” she clarified.

“The intent is to personify Ravana in a plastic form as a demon, bad for the society and environment. This initiative also highlights the role that the cement industry can play in helping overcome this menace in its plants in an environmentally friendly manner,” according to a statement released by the association.

Similarly, Mother Dairy commissioned a 25-ft. effigy of Ravana using waste plastic collected from households in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) region, and destroyed it on October 2, which was Gandhi Jayanti.

“The Ravana effigy was not burned but was dismantled and sent for recycling by the Indian Pollution Control Association, an organisation certified by Central Pollution Control Board. The collection drive was carried out in areas across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad, along with consumers depositing plastic waste at select milk booths in these regions. The drive was supported by leading NGOs for door-to-door plastic collection,” the organisation said in a statement.

The buzz for a plastic ban grew after Prime Minister Modi on August 15 said, “By October 2, on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, I urge the citizens to give up single-use plastic.”

CBI moves SC against bail to Rajeev Kumar

HC had said no to custodial interrogation

05/10/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

Rajeev Kumar

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court's order granting anticipatory bail to former Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar in the Saradha chit fund scam case.

Giving relief to the IPS officer, the High Court had observed that his custodial interrogation was not required. The court also said that the CBI could question him, provided it gave a 48-hour prior notice to him for appearance.

The agency had opposed Mr. Kumar’s petition, arguing that he had not responded to the summonses issued over the past few weeks.

In its order, the High Court also directed Mr. Kumar to furnish a personal bond of Rs.50,000. Accordingly, after about 20 days, he made a public appearance on Thursday to complete the formalities in a city court.

The Saradha group of companies allegedly duped lakhs of people to the tune of Rs.2,500 crore, promising higher rates of return on their investments.

Mr. Kumar was part of the Special Investigation Team set up by the West Bengal government for probing the scam before the Supreme Court handed over the case to the CBI in 2014, along with other chit fund cases.

(With inputs from PTI)

Bloody, gory and glorious

A superlative performance by Dhanush underlines this mesmerising revenge tale

05/10/2019, PRADEEP KUMAR

Asuran

Director: Vetri Maaran

Cast: Dhanush, Manju Warrier, Ken Karunas, Pasupathy, ‘Aadukalam’ Naren, Nithish Veera

Storyline: One man’s fight to protect his family from those baying for their blood ends in a bloodbath

Asuran is the fastest Vetri Maaran has ever worked on a film. And that helps with its defining aspect — Asuran is Vetri Maaran’s simplest film yet. But the subliminal messaging also makes it the most complicated socio-political film he has shot till date.

For instance, the conflict is between the folks of Vadakkur (Northerners) and Thekkur (Southerners). There is conflict over land (a sharp dialogue suggests how even the very little owned by the have-nots are coveted by the rich and greedy) and there is conflict over caste (a second half sequence involving footwear). Right at the end comes the dialogue about how the powerful may snatch away lands and money, but not education.

But Asuran’s universe is based on a Tamil novel Vekkai (written by Poomani), which Vetri Maaran and Manimaran have adapted into a feature-length screenplay. He invites us into this rustic world inhabited by Sivasamy (Dhanush, in a stellar performance) right at the start of the film. The plot is simple: several incidents unfold in the lives of Sivasamy and his family after a dispute with an upper-caste family who are landowners, and hold all the money, influencing the social hierarchy. Sivasamy is thus forced to fight to save his family. The base emotion that threads together this plot is revenge — a recurring element in Vetri Maaran’s films. But here, his protagonist initially doesn’t give-in to this primal emotion. He is even chided by his family members for being weak. All that changes in a beautifully-filmed sequence right before the interval, where Sivasamy reveals a side unknown to his younger son (Ken, in a strong role). Still, when presented with an opportunity to slay the henchman who murdered his eldest son, Sivasamy shies away. His unease is explained in a flashback sequence that makes up much of the second half, and which leads the viewers towards what is a predictable climax.

Watching Asuran, I could not help but think if Vetri Maaran felt restricted by the book at some point of time, considering how unreal Sivasaamy’s universe reacts to the happenings. The film is set in the late 1950s-early 1960s for the flashback sequence, and the 1980s in the other portions. But the passage of time only seem to reflect on the actors’ physical being — nothing that happens in the plot seem out of place even today. It also made me wonder what would it take for Vetri Maaran to film a feature that explicitly discusses caste and social hierarchy.

I could also not help but think just how wonderful an actor we have amongst us in Dhanush. He gives a subdued performance as Sivasamy, and that therein is proof of the actor’s brilliance. It is amazing to think just how far ahead he is of his contemporaries. Manju Warrier could not have asked for a better film to debut in Tamil; her Pachiammal only lends credence to her abilities as an actor par excellence.

Teejay Arunasalam (as Velmurugan) and Ken (as Chidambaram) are just the perfect fits for the role, and it is remarkable how Vetri Maaran gets his casting right every single time.

Body exhumed after seven years

05/10/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,TIRUNELVELI

The CB-CID police, in the presence of revenue officials, on Friday exhumed the body of farm labourer R. Mannaar, which was allegedly buried by a farm owner and his family after the labourer got electrocuted seven years ago in an illegal electric fence erected around the farm.

Farm labourer R. Mannaar, 32, of Devipattinam under Sivagiri police station limits, who went to a sugarcane field close to his village for work on January 7, 2012, did not return home.

When his wife Mary and other relatives searched for him, they could not get any information about Mannaar for several days.

As her complaint with the Sivagiri police did not yield any information about her husband, Ms. Mary filed a case in the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court in September 2018 seeking direction to transfer the case for investigation by the CB-CID.

Since her prayer was allowed, the CB-CID began the investigation five months ago and found that Mannaar, who got electrocuted on accidentally coming in contact with a live electric fence erected in the adjoining farm owned by Panneer of the same area on the fateful day, was buried inside Panneer’s farm with the help of his wife P. Pappa and son-in-law Balagurunathan, 36. Panneer had erected electric fence around the farm to check invasion of wild animals into his farm situated on the lap of the Western Ghats.

The CB-CID team, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Anilkumar and Inspector of Police Ulagarani, arrested Pappa and Balagurunathan as Panneer died last year.

Against this backdrop, the Mannaar’s skeleton was exhumed on Friday by the CB-CID team in the presence of revenue officials.

As the accused could not exactly locate the spot where they had buried the body seven years ago, it took little over seven hours for the CB-CID team to retrieve the skeleton.

“The skull will be sent for superimposing to establish the identity of the victim while DNA mapping will be done with the help of the bones,” said Mr. Anilkumar.

Vacation sitting notified

05/10/2019,MADURAI

The sitting arrangement at the Bench of the Madras High Court for the Dasara holidays from October 5 to October 13 has been notified.

A Division Bench of Justices R. Mahadevan and S. S. Sundar will hear Division Bench matters. After Division bench work, Justice R. Mahadevan will hear single bench writ petitions. Justice S. S. Sundar will hear single bench appellate side matters. Justice P. Velmurugan will hear criminal side matters.

HC grants bail to law aspirant

05/10/2019,MADURAI

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday granted bail to G. Karthikeyan involved in the Tirumangalam toll plaza shooting incident and allowed his father to remit the admission fees on the next working day, October 9.

AIIMS, JIPMER to come under NEET: Minister

05/10/2019,NEW DELHI

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said AIIMS and JIPMER would be included under the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) from 2020 with the government keen on implementing the National Medical Commission (NMC)-2019 at a fast pace.

Two medicos, their fathers seek bail

05/10/2019, STAFF REPORTER,THENI

Two medical students, Rahul and Praveen, and their parents Davis and A.K.S. Saravanan, who have been figuring in the NEET impersonation case have filed bail applications before a fast track court, as the Judicial Magistrate was on leave on Friday.

In connection with the case, seven persons have been arrested and remanded in judicial custody.

Meanwhile, Udit Surya’s anticipatory bail application filed in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court was treated as a bail application, and the court wanted to know from the CB-CID if the continued detention of the student was required. The hearing was adjourned to October 14.

On the hunt

CB-CID sleuths are on the hunt for suspected agents based in Bengaluru and Kerala, who had allegedly facilitated impersonators for the students, after taking large sums of money from them.

NEET illegalities may not be confined to T.N., suspects HC

Court impleads NTA, MHRD and Union Health Ministry as parties to case

05/10/2019, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Unable to fathom why the National Testing Agency (NTA) failed to put in place an effective system to prevent illegalities such as impersonation in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), the Madras High Court on Friday suspected that the illegality of clearing the test through proxies would have happened across the country and not just in Tamil Nadu. In the State so far, five students and their parents are under scrutiny.

A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and P. Velmurugan suo motu impleaded the NTA, Union Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as respondents to a writ appeal and sought to know whether such impersonation in NEET had happened in any other State.

When Abdul Saleem, standing counsel for the Selection Committee in the Directorate of Medical Education, pointed out that so far, two MBBS students in the State had been found to have gained admission in government medical colleges apart from three more, who had joined private colleges, the judges said there appeared to be more than what meets the eye.

“These things could not have happened without the active connivance of the government as well as college officials. How could you not have a system in place for verifying the credentials of those who had applied for the test and those who come to write it? ,” the senior judge in the Bench said.

He recalled that it was to avoid such malpractices he had been persuading the authorities to insist upon submission of Aadhaar card details. “If you had verified the details through Aadhaar, such impersonation would not have happened and so many medical seats would not have gone waste and given away in a platter to undeserving candidates,” the judge said.

He added that at least in the future a reliable monitoring mechanism should be put in place. Replying to it, Mr. Saleem said, the NTA was contemplating the possibility of obtaining finger prints of the candidates to avoid such impersonations in the future.

The Division Bench directed the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) probing the NEET impersonation cases in the State to submit by October 15 a detailed report on the probe conducted so far.

The judges wanted to know the number of students and parents involved in the issue, the amount of money that had been transacted for such impersonation, the details of the agents as well as government and college officials involved in the offence.

The interim order was passed after impleading the CB-CID too as one of the respondents to a writ appeal relating to alleged irregularities in filling up non-resident Indian (NRI) quota seats in private medical colleges.

SRM Arts and Science Colleg Notification

Single med entrance to be held from next year

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi  05.10.2019

Medical aspirants will have to face just a single entrance test for admission to any medical college across the country, including AIIMS and JIPMER (Puducherry) and PGI from next year.

The common National Eligibility-cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to under graduate medical courses from the 2020-21session will be conducted as per the National Medical Commission Act 2019, health ministry said on Friday.

While the ministry has already started notifying rules to implement the new law, members of the National Medical Commission — which will replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) — will be chosen through a draw of lots on October 14. “The efforts of the government are to constitute the NMC at the earliest so that some of the major reforms can be implemented from the coming academic year 2020-21,” health minister Harsh Vardhan said.

Vardhan said the government is also working to implement fee regulations from 2020-21session.

Earlier in September, the ministry notified five rules under the NMC Act, 2019.

With the objective to reform medical education and end corruption, the new Act was passed by the Parliament during the last session replacing the Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act.

The government has received nominations from 23 vice chancellors and 22 nominations from state medical councils for constitution of NMC. “The ministry has already invited applications for the posts of chairperson of the commission, presidents and members of four autonomous boards, members and secretary of the commission and the last date for submission of the applications is October 18,” Vardhan said.

Women’s welfare officers without pay for 8 months
Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

Chennai:05.10.2019

For the last eight to nine months, women protection officers and their junior assistants have not received salaries due to an oversight in paperwork. They include a total of 64 staff members, a woman officer and one junior assistant for each of the 32 districts, appointed under the provisions of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005.

An official source said the state social welfare department had failed to include their salary component in the annual budget allocation report for the fiscal year 2019-2020 submitted to the government. The monthly salary of the protection officer is ₹30,000 and that of the junior assistant is ₹12,000. Senior officials made several pleas to set right the anomaly. But, all the 64, hired on contractual basis, have gone without pay from February 2019.

When contacted, Chennai district social welfare officer Sandiya Maheshwari denied such a complaint. Commissioner of social welfare department T Abraham, however, said, “A few of the protection officers represented the issue to me after I assumed charge (two months ago). They will receive their salaries with arrears within two weeks. An order will be passed soon,” he said.

Abraham attributed it to a lack of communication between the finance and social welfare departments. As per the provision of the act that came into effect in 2006, the posts of protection officer and a junior assistant were created in the year 2008 after a directive from the Centre.

While ₹15,000 was fixed as monthly pay for the protection officers, it was ₹6,000 for the junior assistant. The salaries were doubled in November 2017. They, however, stopped getting their salaries from February 2019.

“We have been spending from our pockets. Since we are appointed on contract basis, many of us are scared to raise the issue as the officials indicated that we will be sacked,” said an officer, seeking anonymity.

The protection officers are entrusted with the task of assisting the victims of domestic violence, right from receiving complaints to executing the orders of the court besides ensuring they receive compensation. They receive 30 to 50 cases a month.

A source said the state social welfare department had failed to include their salary component in the annual budget allocation report for 2019-2020

HC seeks Centre’s report on NEET impersonation racket

‘Scam Not Possible Without Help Of Officials’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:05.10.2019

Madras high court has impleaded the central government in the ongoing NEET impersonation scam, saying the issue is not confined to Tamil Nadu alone. Asserting that NEET impersonation could not have been possible without the involvement of officials, the court directed the CB-CID to provide details as to the involvement of government or college officials in the scam.

“Prima facie, it is clear that without the cooperation of any person, it is impossible for a student to make another person write his exam. Therefore, the CB-CID shall give details of the number of students who gained admission by fraudulent methods, how many persons helped them during malpractice, and whether government officials or the college administration is also involved in this fraud,” a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice P Velmurugan said.

The bench passed the interim order on the plea moved by S Dheeran of Coimbatore seeking direction to the state government to undertake proper counselling and mop-up procedure to fill up 207 management quota seats that have become available owing to non-filling of NRI quota seats.

In a recent order, the court directed 10 private medical colleges in Tamil Nadu to submit details of admissions made under the non-resident Indian (NRI) quota.

When the plea came up for further hearing on Friday, the court was informed that three more private colleges — KMCH Medical College, Coimbatore, Muthukumaran Medical College, Chennai, and Madha Medical College & Hospital, Chennai – have to be impleaded.

Recording the same, the bench suo motu impleaded the three colleges and directed them to file details of students admitted under the NRI quota and the procedure followed by October 15.

This apart, counsel Abdul Saleem representing the selection committee informed the court that two more students have been found to be impersonated and got admission in government medical college and three others had got admission in deemed universities and that CB-CID is investigating the cases.

To this, the bench noted that the fraud should have spread all over India and more students should have got seats by impersonation or duplication by playing fraud throughout the country.

The court then suo motu impleaded Union ministry of human resource development, national testing agency, Tamil Nadu’s health department and the DGP as party respondents and directed them to file details as to the procedures followed while allowing the students to enter into the examination hall and the procedures followed by the selection committee while admitting the students into the hall and whether any communication takes place in the exam hall.

The bench of the Madras high court noted that the fraud should have spread all over India and more students should have got seats by impersonation or duplication by playing fraud throughout the country

Times INVESTIGATION

2 TN students used imposters to write NEET in Delhi, UP
Candidates Filed Two Applications; Also Wrote In TN

Pushpa Narayan & A Selvaraj TNN

Chennai:05.10.2019

MBBS students S Praveen and Raghul Davis, who were arrested by the Tamil Nadu CB-CID last week on charges of impersonation, forgery and conspiracy in NEET 2019 and MBBS admission had used dual applications and imposters, a TOI investigation has found.

Praveen from Arumbakkam wrote NEET 2019 from St Peter’s Institute of Higher Education and Research at Avadi in Chennai, while his imposter took the test at Bal Bharati Public School in Pitampura, Delhi. Praveen scored 130 marks (134 needed to clear the exam) out of 720, while the imposter scored 348. Raghul Davis, who wrote his NEET from Tamil Nadu College of Engineering in Karumathampatti in Coimbatore got 125 out of 720 marks, while his imposter, who wrote the entrance from Swarnim Public School, Rajajipuram, Lucknow, got 306.

Documents in TOI’s possession show that both the students appeared for NEET under the unreserved category, while their imposters appeared as OBC candidates. With the imposters’ scores, they applied to the New Delhibased Medical Counselling Committee for seats in deemed universities.

At least four students had used different methods to cheat the system to get into medical colleges.

Fraud began at application stage

Praveen, who was ranked 1,88,837, was allotted a seat in SRM Medical College and Hospital in Kattankulathur and Raghul, ranked 2,48,832, was placed in Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital in Chromepet (TOI has copies of their NEET hall tickets, score cards and admission details). Praveen and Raghul joined the respective colleges on July 19. Last week, Praveen and his father A K S Saravanan, and Raghul and his father C A David were arrested by the CB-CID police.

In the past month, the Tamil Nadu police have arrested at least four students who used different methods to cheat the system to get into medical colleges. Inquiries by the Directorate of Medical Education and police revealed that while K V Udit Surya admitted to Theni Government Medical College never took NEET, Mohammed Irfan from Dharmapuri Government Medical College had changed his scores from 207 to 407.

In case of Raghul and Praveen, documents reveal that the fraud began at the application stage. For instance, admit cards issued by the National Testing Agency to S Praveen born on July 27, 1998 shows his father’s name as S Saravanan, while his imposter who wrote the exam with the same name and date of birth declared his father’s name as A K S Saravanan. The NEET score card shows his mother’s name as ShobaSaravanan (no space between names) for one candidate and S Shoba for the other. While one address was given as 61/46 Arumbakkam, Razack Garden Main Road, Chennai, Tamil Nadu – 106, another read 46, SR Raza Garden, Arumbakkam (Near Vasanthi Hospital), Chennai, Tamil Nadu-106.

Raghul too used similar tricks to cheat the system. While his name and date of birth remain the same in the NEET admit cards, his father’s name was entered as C A Davis and Davis CA. While one score card shows Nancy Davis as his mother’s name, there was no space between the given name and surname in the next card.

திருமணத்திற்கு முன் மருத்துவ பரிசோதனை: வழக்கு

Added : அக் 04, 2019 02:36

மதுரை:திருமணத்திற்கு முன் தம்பதியருக்கு மருத்துவ பரிசோதனையை கட்டாயமாக்க சட்டம் கொண்வர தாக்கலான வழக்கில், இவ்விவகாரம் தொடர்பாக உயர்நீதிமன்றம் ஏற்கனவே பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவு நகலை மனுதாரர் சமர்ப்பிக்க உயர்நீதிமன்ற மதுரை கிளை உத்தரவிட்டது.
ஹிந்து தர்ம பரிஷத் மேலாண்மை அறங்காவலர் ரமேஷ் தாக்கல் செய்த பொதுநல மனு:திருமணத்திற்கு பின் தம்பதியரிடையே கருத்து வேறுபாட்டால் விவாகரத்து அதிகரித்துள்ளது. நீதிமன்றங்களில் விவாகரத்து வழக்குகள் அதிகம் தாக்கலாகின்றன. இதற்கு பாலியல் மற்றும் மருத்துவ ரீதியான குறைபாடுகளே காரணம். இதனால் சிலர் தற்கொலை செய்து கொள்கின்றனர். பெண்களின் எதிர்காலம் கேள்விக் குறியாகிறது. ஐரோப்பா மற்றும் சில அரபு நாடுகளில் திருமணத்திற்கு முன் தம்பதியருக்கு மருத்துவ பரிசோதனை கட்டாயமாக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

திருமணத்திற்கு முன் தம்பதியருக்கு மருத்துவ பரிசோதனை செய்வதை கட்டாயமாக்க சிறப்புச் சட்டம் கொண்வர தமிழக அரசு பரிசீலிக்க உத்தரவிட வேண்டும். மருத்துவ பரிசோதனைக்கு மருத்துவமனைகள் கட்டணச் சலுகை அளிக்க உத்தவிட வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு ரமேஷ் மனு செய்தார்.நீதிபதிகள் டி.எஸ்.சிவஞானம், ஆர்.தாரணி அமர்வு,'இவ்விவகாரம் தொடர்பாக உயர்நீதிமன்றம் ஏற்கனவே பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவு நகலை, மனுதாரர் 3 வாரங்களில் சமர்ப்பிக்க வேண்டும்' என்றனர்.

போதிய பயணியர் இன்றி விமான சேவை ரத்து

Added : அக் 04, 2019 00:12

சென்னை:மதுரை செல்லும் விமானத்தில், போதிய பயணியர் இல்லாததால், அந்த விமான சேவை, நேற்று ரத்து செய்யப்பட்டது.
சென்னையில் இருந்து, நேற்று காலை, 9:40 மணிக்கு, 'ஏர் இந்தியா' விமான நிறுவனத்தின் துணை நிறுவனமான, 'அலையன்ஸ் ஏர்' விமானம், மதுரைக்கு புறப்பட தயாராக இருந்தது. மதுரை செல்ல, 23 பயணியர் மட்டுமே இருந்ததால், அந்த விமான சேவை ரத்து செய்யப்பட்டது. 'அலையன்ஸ் ஏர்' விமானத்தில், மதுரை செல்ல முன்பதிவு செய்திருந்த, 23 பயணியரும், நேற்று காலை, 11:30 மணிக்கு, மதுரை செல்லும், 'ஏர் இந்தியா' விமானத்தில் அனுப்பி வைக்கப்பட்டனர்.

துணைவேந்தர் நியமனத்தில் அரசியல் தலையீடு?'தேடல் குழு'வால் பிரச்னை

Added : அக் 04, 2019 02:10

கோவை:கோவை பாரதியார் பல்கலை துணைவேந்தர் பதவிக்கு தகுதியான நபர்களை தேர்வு செய்யும் நடவடிக்கையில், அரசியல் தலையீடு அதிகரித்துள்ளதால், 'தேடல் குழு'வை கலைத்து, புதிய குழு அமைக்க வேண்டும் என, மாநில பல்கலை ஆசிரியர் சங்கம், கவர்னருக்கு கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளது.

147 பேர்

பாரதியார் பல்கலை துணைவேந்தர் கணபதி, லஞ்ச வழக்கில் கைதானதை தொடர்ந்து, பதவி நீக்கம் செய்யப்பட்டார். இப்பதவி, இரு ஆண்டுகளாக காலியாக உள்ளது. நிர்வாக பணிகளை, மூவர் கொண்ட ஒருங்கிணைப்பு குழு கவனிக்கிறது.நீண்ட இழுபறிக்கு பின், ஜூலையில், துணைவேந்தர் தேடல் குழுவுக்கு உறுப்பினர்கள் உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டனர்; இதைத் தொடர்ந்து, துணைவேந்தர் பதவிக்கு, 147 பேர் விண்ணப்பித்தனர்.

முதற்கட்டமாக அவற்றில், 10 பேரை தேர்வு செய்து, பட்டியல் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாக தகவல் வெளியாகியுள்ளது; 15ம் தேதி, நேர்காணல் மூலம், மூவர் தேர்வு செய்யப்பட உள்ளனர்.இந்நிலையில், முதற்கட்டமாக தேர்வு செய்யப்பட்ட, 10 பேர் கொண்ட பட்டியலில், அரசியல் தலையீடு காரணமாக, தகுதியற்ற நபர்கள் சேர்க்கப்பட்டிருப்பதாக குற்றச்சாட்டு கிளம்பியுள்ளது.


லஞ்ச வழக்கில், முன்னாள் துணைவேந்தர் கணபதி கைதாக காரணமாக இருந்த, உதவி பேராசிரியர் நியமன முறைகேடு நடந்தபோது, பதிவாளராக இருந்தவர் பெயரும், கோவை தனியார் கல்லுாரியில், ஒன்றரை ஆண்டு மட்டுமே முதல்வராக பணியாற்றியவரின் பெயரும், பட்டியலில் உள்ளதாக கூறப்படுகிறது.

பல்கலை ஆசிரியர் சங்க மாநில தலைவர் பசுபதி கூறியதாவது:பாரதியார் பல்கலை துணைவேந்தர் பதவிக்கு தகுதியானவரை தேடும், தேடல் குழு உறுப்பினர்களை நியமனம் செய்வதிலேயே அரசியல், அதிகார தலையீடுகள் இருந்தன. இதன் விளைவாகவே, துணைவேந்தர் பதவிக்கான இறுதி பட்டியலுக்கு தேர்வு பெறாத சிலர், கடைசி நேரத்தில் சேர்க்கப்பட்டிருப்பதாக தெரிகிறது.
அதிகாரம் இல்லை

பல்கலை இருக்கும் இக்கட்டான நிலையை சமாளிக்க, நிர்வாகத்திறன் மிக்க, நேர்மையான துணைவேந்தர் அவசியம். தற்போதுள்ள தேடல் குழுவை கலைத்து, புதிய தேடல் குழுவை அமைக்க வேண்டும் என, கவர்னரிடம் கோரிக்கை வைத்து உள்ளோம்.இவ்வாறு, அவர் கூறினார்.
தேடல் குழு உறுப்பினர் சுப்பிரமணியம் கூறுகையில், ''தேடல் குழு செயல்பாடு குறித்து தகவல் தெரிவிக்க, அதிகாரம் இல்லை. உரிய விதிமுறைகளை பின்பற்றியே, தகுதியான நபர்களை தேர்வு செய்து உள்ளோம்.''விரைவில், நேர்மையான ஒருவர், துணைவேந்தராக நியமிக்கப்படுவார்,'' என்றார்.பல்கலை சிண்டிகேட் உறுப்பினர் ஒருவர் கூறுகையில், 'துணைவேந்தர் பதவிக்கு விண்ணப்பித்த, 147 பேரில், 10 பேரை, எந்த தகுதிகளின் அடிப்படையில் தேடல் குழு தேர்வு செய்தது என்ற விபரங்களை வெளிப்படையாக அறிவிக்க வேண்டும். மறைமுக தேர்வு முறை, சர்ச்சைக்கே வழிவகுக்கும்' என்றார்.

கோவை வழியாக ஆன்மிக சுற்றுலா ரயில்

Added : அக் 04, 2019 01:53


கோவை:கோவை வழியாக, ஆன்மிகம், சுற்றுலா சிறப்பு ரயில்கள் இயக்க நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும்' என, இந்தியன் ரயில்வே உணவு மற்றும் சுற்றுலா கழகமான, ஐ.ஆர்.சி.டி.சி., தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

ஐ.ஆர்.சி.டி.சி., சுற்றுலா இணை பொது மேலாளர் சேம் ஜோசப் மற்றும் மேலாளர் சுப்ரமணி ஆகியோர், நிருபர்களிடம் கூறியதாவது:ஐ.ஆர்.சி.டி.சி., பாரத தரிசன சுற்றுலா ரயில் திட்டத்தின் கீழ், 2005ம் ஆண்டு முதல் இதுவரை, 364 தனி ரயில்கள், நாட்டின் பல்வேறு ஆன்மிக, சுற்றுலா தலங்களுக்கு இயக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. வரும், 12ம் தேதி மதுரையில் இருந்து திண்டுக்கல், ஈரோடு வழியாக, ராஜஸ்தானில் நாத் துவாரகை உட்பட பஞ்ச துவாரகைகள், குஜராத்தில் நிஷ்களங்க மகாதேவர் கடல் கோவில் என பல்வேறு தலங்களுக்கு, சிறப்பு ரயில் இயக்கப்படுகிறது.அதேபோல், நவ., 13ல், திருச்சியில் இருந்து புறப்படும் ரயில், சென்னை பெரம்பூர் வழியாக, மேற்கு வங்கம், அசாம் மாநிலம் கவுகாத்தி காமாக்ய சக்தி பீடம், வசிஷ்டர் ஆசிரமம், பிரம்மபுத்திரா நதியில் புனித தீர்த்தாடானம், ஷில்லாங் பீக் உள்ளிட்ட இடங்களுக்கு செல்கிறது.

பயணியரிடம் இதற்கு நல்ல வரவேற்பு கிடைத்து வரும் நிலையில், எதிர்காலத்தில், கோவை வழியாகவும் இச்சிறப்பு ரயில்கள் இயக்க நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும்.இவ்வாறு, அவர்கள் கூறினர்.கோவை மற்றும் சுற்றுப்புறப் பகுதியில் இருந்து சுற்றுலா செல்வோர், ஈரோடு ஸ்டேஷனில் இருந்து புறப்படலாம். கட்டணம், பயண நாட்கள் உள்ளிட்ட விபரங்களுக்கு, 90031 40655, 90031 40680 ஆகிய எண்களில் தொடர்பு கொள்ளலாம்.

தேர்வு குளறுபடி: பல்கலை, 'பல்டி'

Added : அக் 04, 2019 01:03

சென்னை:பி.எட்., தேர்வு மதிப்பெண்கள் திருத்தப்படாததால், மாணவர்கள் அதிருப்தி அடைந்துஉள்ளனர்.

தமிழ்நாடு ஆசிரியர் கல்வியியல் பல்கலையின் இணைப்பில், தமிழகத்தில், 700க்கும் மேற்பட்ட, பி.எட்., கல்லுாரிகள் செயல்படுகின்றன. இவற்றில் படிக்கும், பி.எட்., மாணவர்களுக்கு, ஜூனில் தேர்வுகள் நடந்தன. இதில், முதலாம் மற்றும் இரண்டாம் ஆண்டு மாணவர்களுக்கு, கடந்த வாரம், தேர்வு முடிவுகள்வெளியிடப்பட்டன. இதில், தேர்வே எழுதாதவர்கள் கூட தேர்ச்சி பெறும் அளவுக்கு, பெரும் குளறுபடிகள் காணப்பட்டன.
இது குறித்து, பல்கலை நிர்வாகம் அளித்த விளக்கத்தில், 'தொழில்நுட்ப கோளாறு நடந்துள்ளது. அதை சரிசெய்து, சரியான மதிப்பெண் அறிவிக்கப்படும்' என, கூறப்பட்டது. ஆனால், அதை செய்ய முன்வராமல், மாணவர்கள் அனைவரும் கட்டணம் செலுத்தி, மறுகூட்டலுக்கு விண்ணப்பிக்குமாறு, பல்கலை அறிவித்துள்ளது.அதனால், மாணவர்கள் கடும் மன உளைச்சலுக்கு ஆளாகியுள்ளனர். இந்த பிரச்னையை, நீதிமன்றத்திற்கு எடுத்து செல்ல முடிவு செய்து உள்ளனர்.

இன்று முதல் ஆயுதபூஜை, விஜயதசமி கொண்டாட்டம்

Added : அக் 04, 2019 00:43

சென்னை:ஆயுத பூஜை மற்றும் விஜயதசமி பண்டிகைகள், வரும், 7, 8ம் தேதிகளில் கொண்டாடப்படுகின்றன.

அதாவது, வரும், திங்கள் மற்றும் செவ்வாய் கிழமைகளில், இந்த பண்டிகைகள் வருவதால், சனி, ஞாயிறு, திங்கள், செவ்வாய் ஆகிய, நான்கு நாட்கள், அரசு விடுமுறையாக கிடைக்க உள்ளது. இதனால், அரசு ஊழியர்கள், மாணவர்கள், பெற்றோர் என, பலரும், சொந்த ஊர்களுக்கு செல்ல திட்டமிட்டுள்ளனர். அவர்களின் பயணத்துக்கு உதவும் வகையில், சென்னையில் இருந்து வெளியூர்களுக்கு, தமிழக அரசு தினமும் இயக்கும், 2,225 பஸ்களுடன் சேர்த்து, இன்று முதல் மூன்று நாட்கள், 1,695 சிறப்பு பஸ்களும் இயக்கப்படுகின்றன. மேலும், சென்னையிலிருந்து வெளியூர் செல்வோர், கூட்ட நெரிசலில் சிக்காமல் தவிர்க்க, பஸ் நிலையங்கள் பிரிக்கப்பட்டு, அங்கிருந்து சிறப்பு பஸ்கள் புறப்பட உள்ளன.

நகைக்கடை கொள்ளை வழக்கில் திருப்பம்! - திருவாரூரில் நகைகளுடன் சிக்கிய கொள்ளையன்

மு.இராகவன்

சி.ய.ஆனந்தகுமார்

என்.ஜி.மணிகண்டன்

திருச்சி நகைக்கடை கொள்ளை தொடர்பாக திருவாரூர் அருகே ஒருவரை போலீஸார் கைது செய்துள்ளனர்.

நகைக்கடை கொள்ளை

திருச்சி சத்திரம் பேருந்து நிலையம் அருகே உள்ள லலிதா ஜூவல்லரி நகைக்கடை கொள்ளை தமிழகத்தையே அதிரவைத்தது. கல்லூரிக்கு அருகே உள்ள மைதானம் வழியாக வந்த கொள்ளையர்கள் கடையின் சுவரில் துளையிட்டு தரைதளத்தில் இருந்த நகைகளைக் கொள்ளையடித்துச் சென்றனர்.

நகைக்கடை கொள்ளை

இதுகுறித்து ஊடகங்களிடம் பேசிய அக்கடையின் உரிமையாளர் கிரண்குமார், 28 கிலோ தங்க நகைகளும் 1.5 கிலோவுக்கும் மேற்பட்ட வைரம், வைடூரியங்கள் உள்ளிட்டவை கொள்ளை போனதாகத் தெரிவித்தார். இந்த நகைகளின் மதிப்பு ரூ.13 கோடி என்றும் அவர் கூறியிருந்தார்.


கொள்ளையர்களைப் பிடிக்க போலீஸார் 7 தனிப்படைகளை அமைத்தனர். திருச்சி மட்டுமல்லாது, நாகை, திருவாரூர் உள்ளிட்ட அண்டை மாவட்டங்களிலும் போலீஸார் விசாரணையைத் தீவிரப்படுத்தினர். சந்தேகத்தின் பேரில் புதுக்கோட்டையில் வடமாநிலத்தைச் சேர்ந்த 6 பேரைக் கைது செய்த போலீஸார் அவர்களை திருச்சி அழைத்துவந்து விசாரித்தனர்.

நகைக்கடை கொள்ளை

இந்தநிலையில், திருவாரூர் விளமல் அருகே வாகன தணிக்கையில் போலீஸார் ஈடுபட்டினருந்தனர். அப்போது இருசக்கர வாகனத்தில் அட்டைப் பெட்டியுடன் வந்த இருவரிடம் போலீஸார் விசாரித்தனர். போலீஸாரைக் கண்டதும் பின்னால் அமர்ந்திருந்த நபர் வாகனத்தில் இருந்து குதித்து தப்பியோடியிருக்கிறார். இதனால், சந்தேகமடைந்த போலீஸார் வாகனத்தை ஓட்டிவந்தவரை மடக்கிப் பிடித்து அட்டைப் பெட்டியில் என்ன இருக்கிறது என்று விசாரித்திருக்கிறார்கள். அந்த பெட்டியில் புத்தம்புதிய தங்க நகைகள் இருப்பதை அறிந்து போலீஸார், திருச்சி நகைக்கடையில் கொள்ளைபோன நகைகளாக இருக்குமோ என சந்தேகித்திருக்கிறார்கள்.

கைது செய்யப்பட்டவர் திருவாரூர் மடப்புரம் பகுதியைச் சேர்ந்த மணிகண்டன் என்பதும் தப்பியோடியவர் சுரேஷ் என்பதும் போலீஸார் விசாரணையில் தெரியவந்திருக்கிறது. கைது செய்யப்பட்ட மணிகண்டனிமிருந்து சுமார் 4.5 கிலோ தங்க நகைகள் கைப்பற்றப்பட்டிருப்பதாகத் தெரிகிறது. அந்த நகைகளில் இருந்த பார் கோடுகள் திருச்சி நகைக்கடையில் கொள்ளைபோன நகைகளுடனான பார் கோடுடன் ஒத்துப்போவதால் அந்த நகைகள் கொள்ளைபோன நகைகள்தான் என்பதை போலீஸார் உறுதி செய்திருப்பதாக முதற்கட்டத் தகவல்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன.


நகைக்கடை கொள்ளை

தப்பியோடிய கொள்ளையன் சுரேஷ் என்பவர் திருவாரூர் பகுதியில் பிரபல கொள்ளையன் ஒருவரின் உறவுக்காரர் எனக்கூறப்படுகிறது. இந்நிலையில் திருவாரூர் சிக்கியுள்ள குற்றவாளிகளில் ஒருவரான மணிகண்டன் என்பவர் குறித்து தகவலறிந்த திருச்சி மாநகர போலீசார் திருவாரூர் விரைந்தனர்.

Cabinet approves Bill to set up ‘India’s first’ sports university

Campus to come up in Mundka; it will offer UG, PG and doctorate degrees

04/10/2019, STAFF REPORTER ,NEW DELHI

Arvind Kejriwal


The Delhi Cabinet on Thursday approved a Bill to set up “India’s first” sports university in Delhi, which will offer graduation, post graduation and doctorate degrees in cricket, football, and hockey among other sports.

Making the announcement, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the university will come up in 90 acres of land in Mundka and there will also be sports schools.

He said that the Bill has to be now approved by Lt. Governor Anil Baijal and if approved soon, then it will be passed in the winter session of the Assembly.

“Earlier, a sportsperson used to be uncertain about his future, just for the fact that if he is not able to establish a career in sports, he will just be called a school pass out. He would not get a job because every job requires at least a graduation degree to get through. This sports university will grant you a degree in sports such as cricket, and hockey. A passionate sportsperson can now devote all his time to playing and excelling in sports,” Mr. Kejriwal said.

Affiliated to CBSE

The Delhi Sports University (DSU) is proposed to be set up as a State university and it will have a full-fledged Delhi Sports School, affiliated to the CBSE, for imparting education with emphasis on sports and to groom the students for a career in sports.

‘The Delhi Sports University Bill’ approved by the Cabinet, grants the university the right to establish constituent schools and colleges.

“It is a matter of disappointment that many students who have played sports at the national-level are nowhere on the same platform as students who can give their IAS examinations because they have a graduation degree. The share of jobs under sports quota is also limited. We are hoping to eradicate that uncertainty from the minds of sportspersons,” said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

“To ensure that such sportspersons are also equipped in educational and literary skills, the Centre shall besides the training towards sporting excellence, have provisions and facilities for liberal academics to ensure that the trainees and sportspersons also obtain formal academic degrees from Delhi Sports University depending on their sporting talents,” an official statement said.

In ideation process

But the Chief Minister said that the curriculum of the university and the subjects are in the ideation process and will be developed after deliberations with experts. He also did not give a timeline for establishing the university.

The Chancellor of the Delhi Sports University will be the Lt. Governor. The Vice-Chancellor would be a sportsperson of inter-national eminence with administrative experience in a national-level institution.

Chidambaram moves SC for bail

04/10/2019, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

Former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court’s rejection of his plea for regular bail in the INX Media case on September 30.

The appeal in the Supreme Court was filed on a day the trial court extended his judicial custody till October 17 in the case. The lower court, however, allowed Mr. Chidambaram to have home-cooked food.

In his petition before the Supreme Court, Mr. Chidambaram said he had suffered over 40 days of incarceration, including the maximum permissible period of 15 days of CBI remand.

The plea was listed before a Bench of Justices R. Banumathi and Hrishikesh Roy on October 4.

Key suspect detained in Tiruchi jewellery heist

Five others picked up in Pudukottai

04/10/2019, R. RAJARAM,TIRUCHI

Police teams continue to sift through footage from CCTV cameras. M. Srinath

A day after the sensational heist at the Lalithaa Jewellery in Tiruchi, the police detained one of the suspects in Tiruvarur district on Thursday evening.

According to police sources, the suspect, identified as Manikandan, was detained during vehicle checks by a police team. He was allegedly in possession of some jewellery, the barcode of which is said to have matched those stolen from the showroom on Wednesday. An accomplice of Manikandan managed to escape from the spot, the police said.

Senior police officers, however, said the suspect was being interrogated to establish if he was a member of the gang that broke into the showroom wearing masks.

Five nabbed

Late on Wednesday, the police picked up five persons hailing from Jharkhand, who were staying at a lodge in Pudukottai, for questioning, to ascertain if they had any role in the heist.

The five men were brought to Tiruchi and subjected to intensive questioning by the police.

Another man, who was staying with them, allegedly jumped out on seeing the police team and sustained an injury on his head, and is undergoing treatment in Pudukottai.

The police are guarding him.

The men claimed that they had come to Pudukottai a few days ago to sell clothing.

The police said that while their role in the case was yet to be established, they were suspected to have committed other offences, using a similar modus operandi.

Seven special teams are probing the case. The teams also continued to sift through footage from CCTV cameras installed in the outlet and its vicinity.

Police baffled

The police are baffled as to how the four security guards, deployed at the outlet’s entrance, failed to hear the sound of a large hole being drilled by the burglars in the wall of the building, and how they decamped with the booty after remaining inside for two full hours. The culprits had drilled the hole close to the spot where the outlet’s manager usually sits, to gain quick and immediate access to the chain of showcases, where jewellery was placed in rows.

The culprits sprinkled chilli powder at the spot, apparently believing that this would prevent police detective dogs following their scents. A few empty packets of chilli powder were found near the crime scene.

BSNL launches 4G service in city

137 base tower stations have been upgraded from 3G service to 4G service

04/10/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,MADURAI

Next step: Su. Venkatesan, MP, inaugurating BSNL 4G mobile service in Madurai on Thursday. S. JamesS_James

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited on Thursday launched its 4G mobile service in the city. A total of 137 base tower stations in the city have been upgraded from 3G service to 4G service.

Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan formally launched the new service that offered higher data download speed, in the presence of Chief General Manager, BSNL, Tamil Nadu Circle, V. Raju, and Madurai BSNL General Manager S.E. Rajam.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Venkatesan said the first Prime Minister of India had created various temples of development in the form of public sector units.

However, the PSUs, especially the BSNL and railways, were facing a lot of stress now. He said it was high time for employees and customers of the PSUs to strive to safeguard the public sector organisations.

The development seen in the last 10 years on telecommunication front had been much higher than the overall development seen in the last several centuries.

Mr. Raju said the 4G service was available in Coimbatore, Salem, Tiruchi and Nagercoil. The service would be expanded to other areas of Tamil Nadu in a phased manner.

Stating that the 4G service offered higher download speed, he said it would help people save time in downloading content from social media.

Even videos could be played live without any interruption, he added.

Nurses allege denial of maternity leave

04/10/2019,NEW DELHI

Nursing professionals have written to the Labour and Employment Ministry asking it to ensure that those working in the private sector are given the maternity benefits they are entitled to by law. Some medical centres, they complain, do not grant leave at all and some others who permit leave do not pay for the period.

New Chief Justices appointed in seven HCs

Justice S. Mani Kumar will move to Kerala

04/10/2019, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

The government on Thursday appointed new Chief Justices for seven High Courts (HCs).

Four of the new Chief Justices will fill the vacancies left by Justices V. Ramasubramanian, Krishna Murari, S. Ravindra Bhat and Hrishikesh Roy, who were elevated to the Supreme Court.

Justice S. Mani Kumar of the Madras High Court has been appointed as the Chief Justice in Kerala HC in place of Justice Hrishikesh Roy.

Justice Lingappa Narayana Swamy from the Karnataka High Court has been appointed as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in place of Justice Ramasubramanian.

Justice Ravi Shanker Jha, Acting Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, has been appointed as Chief Justice in Punjab and Haryana HC. Justice J.K. Maheshwari of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has been appointed as the Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice.

Justice Indrajit Mohanty of the Bombay High Court will take over as the Chief Justice in Rajasthan from Justice Bhat.

Justice Arup K. Goswami, Gauhati High Court judge, has been appointed as Sikkim High Court Chief Justice and Justice Ajai Lamba, Allahabad High Court judge, has been appointed in Gauhati.

Govt. doctors to decide on indefinite strike on October 9

Six weeks’ time sought by Health Dept. to address demands drawing to a close

04/10/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,CHENNAI

In August, six doctors launched an indefinite fast to draw the attention of the State govt. to their demands. File Photo

Five weeks have gone by since the Health department assured hundreds of protesting doctors of a review of their long-pending demand for pay-band 4 at the end of 13 years of service, and its consideration in six weeks.

But the Federation of Government Doctors Association (FOGDA) is unhappy as they say that the department has made little or no headway till now.

On Wednesday, members of FOGDA met Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar and Health Secretary along with department directors to discuss the progress made to address their demands. However, they felt that nothing has been done since the last round of talks on August 27.

In August, six government doctors launched an indefinite fast to draw the attention of the State government to their demands — implementation of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) with pay band-4 at the end of 13 years of service instead of the present 20 years, modify a government order to post doctors as per patient load and not to reduce existing number of doctors as per MCI norms. The other demands were to conduct counselling for service post graduates postings and 50% service quota in PG and super specialty programmes.

On August 27, the Health department assured the doctors to look into their demands following which the doctors ended their protests. It was agreed to review government order 354 along with the prospective clause for DACP and take it forward for consideration in six weeks.

“There seems to be no progression. We hope that the government will fulfil our demands. On October 9, a day after the six week time-frame comes to an end, our executive committee meeting will be held to decide on indefinite strike if the government does not come up with any announcement,” A. Ramalingam, convenor of FOGDA, said. Health Minister Dr. Vijayabaskar said it was a “routine” meeting with a team of two government doctors’ associations. “We are planning what best we can do for them, and this was discussed,” he said.